John McCain Obama’s Biggest Critic

john-mccain-obama-criticShockingly, John McCain is working to make life difficult for the man who beat him last November.

Barack Obama began his presidency with an open hand toward the man he had just defeated in a race that was at times bitter.

“There are few Americans who understand this need for common purpose and common effort better than John McCain,” said Obama at an inauguration-eve tribute dinner to his former foe.

But in the year since that evening of comity and collegiality, McCain has emerged as one of the leading critics of the new president. On foreign policy, his traditional area of expertise, and domestic affairs, where McCain has shown new passion, the 73-year-old Arizonan is making it plain that he has no plans to serve out his years in the rank-and-file, as a politician known more for what he lost than what he will yet accomplish.

I, for one, never saw this coming.

FILED UNDER: 2008 Election, Media, US Politics, , ,
James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. mpw280 says:

    Can’t figure out why mister I always cross the aisle, won’t work with “the One” and his cohorts. Especially with the open, transparent bipartisanship that “the One” and his cohorts show. mpw

  2. FormerHostage says:

    He should have taken a page from Al Gore and John Kerry on how to work with the sitting President.

  3. Herb says:

    He should enjoy it while he can. If someone were to ask me who had the better chance at getting re-elected, Obama to another presidential term or McCain to another term in the Senate…..I’d put my money on Obama.

  4. Dantheman says:

    James,

    While you may not be shocked, there certainly was a significant percentage of Beltway insider wisdom (especially Broder) which predicted McCain was going to work closely with Obama. Saying you are more accurate than Beltway insider wisdom may not be the highest compliment I can pay, but there you are.

  5. sam says:

    While you may not be shocked

    I’ll go out on a limb here and say that I don’t think James was shocked at all.

  6. Stevelaudig says:

    How many planes has McCain wrecked? How many were the result of “unforced errors”? No one would ever accuse him of having a strong impluse control.